One of the most dramatic events following the devastating 1902 eruptions of Mount Pelee in Martinique was the growth of a towering spine on the summit lava dome. It began to rise above the dome on November 3, 1902. By May 31, 1903, the spine reached a height of 350 m above the dome, temporarily creating a 1617-m-high peak at the summit. It then slowly disintegrated and was gone by the end of the eruption. This March 11, 1903, photo shows the spine near its peak height, with a smoothly extruded eastern side.

Photo by A. Lacroix, 1903 (from the collection of Maurice and Katia Krafft).

Copyrighted image used with permission. All Rights Reserved. Contact photographer for any usage requests.

Pelée